Copyright infringement is an ongoing story in the entertainment industry, but particularly within music. Earlier this week, a Los Angeles jury ruled that Robin Thicke and Pharrell copied Marvin Gaye's 1977 hit "Got to Give It Up" in the composition of their 2013 smash "Blurred Lines," and ordered them to pay $7.3 million to Gaye's children. But outside of specific songs, the behind-the-scenes fight over basic naming rights is a constant battle.

Don Henley vs. Duluth Trading Co.

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Last Fall, Eagles frontman Don Henley sued Duluth Trading Co. for its use of the marketing slogan, "Don a Henley and Take It Easy." Nevermind the fact that Henley didn't even write "Take It Easy" (Glen Frey did), Henley still sued the shirtmaker for damages and, as Rolling Stone notes, "to underscore the fact that Henley has enforced his rights to his name, trademarks and other intellectual property over the years." Duluth fought back, claiming that its marketing phrase was "transformative" in nature, and thus protected under the Constitution. "Putting aside the fact that plaintiff's literal name is not being used, it is self evident that the use that was made of Mr. Henley's name was a joke intended to highlight the coincidence that Mr. Henley shares his last name with a ubiquitous casual shirt and that his first name means 'to wear,' " Duluth's attorneys wrote. "Unfortunately for Duluth, Mr. Henley does not appreciate the humor."

Status: Pending

Kanye vs. Coinye

Kanye West undertook the onerous task of suing a half-serious cryptocurrency in January 2014 for "willful trademark infringement, unfair competition, cyberpiracy, and dilution." Most of the defendants ignored West's lawyers and subsequently lost the case, but one developer, 17-year-old Harry Wills from the United Kingdom, told Ars Technica that he was "thrilled" to be named in the suit. "I've never had anyone try to sue me before, let alone an A-list celebrity," he told the site. "I guess I'm still happy the way it's turned out, we didn't win but we've cost Mr West thousands in legal fees, which is a great feeling." Wills eventually settled and was removed as a defendant, pending his agreement that he relinquish any domains containing "Kanye West," "Coinye West," "Coinye" or "Coye." He told Ars that his prime motivation for settling was to see West's signature written alongside his own on a legal document that he intended to "print off and frame."

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Status: Resolved

Van Halen vs. Kelly Van Halen

Though she divorced metal drummer Alex Van Halen in 1996, Kelly Carter sought to use her ex-husband's last name for her interior design and construction company. The band's corporate entity, ELVH, Inc., sued Carter claiming that her products—chairs, children's blankets, bathing suits, and more—were "confusingly similar to their own and that she was diluting Van Halen, passing off Van Halen and committing unfair competition for Van Halen." The two parties "amicably resolved" the suit in January, and the band's lawyer told The Hollywood Reporter that Kelly may use her full name in conjunction with other words (i.e. "Designer Originals by Kelly Van Halen"), so long as her business is not related to music.

Status: Case dismissed

Wilco vs. Sky Blue Sky Sandwich Company

Toronto's Sky Blue Sky Sandwich Company opened in the city's Koreatown neighborhood in 2009, featuring a menu of signature sandwiches named after Wilco songs. Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy visited the restaurant in 2011 and posted a photo to the band's Facebook page with the caption, "Lunch was really good, but, to be honest, I prefer their earlier more experimental sandwiches."

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Status: No lawsuit

PART II: BRANDS VS. BANDS

Mattel vs. "Barbie Girl"

Mattel tried and failed to sue MCA Records for trademark infringement and defamation over Aqua's late-'90s electro earworm "Barbie Girl." After repeated appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an earlier decision that the song was a parody and therefore protected under free speech laws. As MTV notes, Judge Alex Kozinski of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote, "If we see a painting titled 'Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup,' we're unlikely to believe that Campbell's has branched into the art business ... nor, upon hearing Janis Joplin croon, 'Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?' would we suspect that she and the carmaker had entered into a joint venture."

Status: Dismissed

Kraft vs. Green Jello

Jell-O's parent company, Kraft, successfully forced the punk band Green Jello to change its name to Green Jelly, even though the group used an umlaut over the "o." The band, which featured Maynard James Keenan of Tool, also used the phrase "Green Jello Sucks!" which reportedly angered Kraft.

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Status: Name change

Dale Earnhardt Jr. vs. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

The Detroit indie-pop duo Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. fixed any potential problems before they started in regards to their namesake. As the band's Josh Epstein told ESPN the Magazine in 2011, "I sent him an email explaining that we didn't intend to mock him, especially after learning what a cool guy he is. He responded and was so nice and down-to-earth. For him to take the time to answer me—I'm this gnat and he's this big gorilla—was amazing. He said he'd be flattered, and that he liked our music. And he told us to be safe."

Status: No suit

Mookie Blaylock vs. Pearl Jam

Before they decided on an official name, Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam toured as the opening act for Alice in Chains under the name Mookie Blaylock, in a nod to the then-active NBA point guard. The group even named its landmark "Ten" album after Blaylock's jersey number, though by then they had changed their name on their own. Despite rumors to the contrary, Blaylock never pressured the name change. "I actually got to meet him later on and shoot around a little bit," bassist Jeff Ament told The Missoulian. "We also made a Pearl Jam T-shirt with a picture of him on it. I guess we owe Mookie a lot."

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Status: No suit

John Elway vs. Elway

John Elway, the former Broncos quarterback, sent a strongly-worded letter to Elway, the Colorado punk band, in 2011, though his document was not technically a cease and desist order. "They wanted us to email them back when we change the band's name," lead singer Tim Browne told NFL.com. "I haven't even responded to them. It's blown my mind that it's gotten this big." One week later,in a statement to punknews.org, Browne said, "We love the name, regardless of what connotations are inferred by the listener. Surely, if the Dead Kennedys could become one of punk's most popular bands without incurring litigation, Elway can keep their moniker and continue making so-so music for our dozens of fans to enjoy."

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